Photo a Day

I usually post in advance, but for the first time, I'm behind in blogging. It has been a real bugger of a year.  I have a lot of fun things planned for December, including December Daily, but in the meantime.  One thing I have kept up with is my photo a day on Instagram. Sometimes it's something I did, something I ate, or an ever recurring theme..my dog. I  love her more than a little. This is my second year and the first few months were difficult to remember to post, but in the midst of hard days I love flipping back day by day and seeing so much good and significance in what seems like a year of more of the 'same,' and at points 'hard.' 

Crockpot Meat Balls

I recently hosted a party at my house and one of the things on the menu were meatballs...or....canon balls (it was a Mermaid/Pirate themed party).  I've done a lot of different versions with jellys and sauces, but I decided to try something new, so I went to the internet.  These were commented on and well received at the shower.  It'll definitely stay on the rotation for future parties.  The original recipe (from familyfreshmeals) even suggested serving them over rice for regular ol' weeknight meals.
So, if you are in need of some canon balls....try this one out.

Honey Garlic Crockpot Meatballs

Ingredient:  1/4 c. brown sugar, 1/3 c. honey, 1/2 c. ketchup, 2 T soy sauce, 3 cloves garlic (minced), 1 (28 oz) bag fully cooked, frozen meatballs (I used some from Trader Joe's b/c I read they were the best...and the internet never lies).  

Instructions:  

1.  In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, and garlic.  

2.  Place frozen meatballs in a 3-4 qt crockpot and pour sauce over the meatballs, stir until all the meatballs are coated evenly.  

3.  Cook on low for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.  

(I actually put them in the crockpot the night before and put the ceramic inside in my fridge and then just lowered the time by about 30 minutes the day of the shower since the meatballs had thawed some, but it saved me a few minutes and a sink of dirty dishes during the shower).  

 I actually made this album for a friend's birthday.  Occasionally some of my friends read my blog, so...if you see 'your' gift in advance....sorry!

 A lot of my friends take pictures, but they really aren't into scrapbooking.  I stopped giving scrapbooks to non-scrapbookers years ago b/c I don't think the gifts are really useful/nor is the time that goes into them understood, but I decided this year I'm going to give it one more go as my friend's have kiddos that get older and their online photos are getting dusty on instagram and facebook.  It scares me to think about the number of pictures that will be 'lost' because they are on a phone and never printed.  I digress...

I found this little drawer and decided it would be an adorable holder for a scrapbook.  I bought these little tags and I found a bunch of different quotes to represent each month of the year.  

I used my scraps and paper embellishments and I made a 'main' month tag for each month, but then I also made three colorful tags to go behind each month.  The idea is that she can add pictures and stories to the tags that go along with each month so that at the end of the year, there is a year worth of stories and pictures.  

I love the way this first project turned out.  Next up, golden book scrapbooks...

All the Good!

There was no big day that defined my 2016, just hundreds of adventures and conversations that would make it hard to top.  My travels spanned the country and the globe.  I was blessed with visits with friends that live too far away, and daily adventures with family and friends that live nearby.  This past year my goal was to post a picture a day.  I posted those pictures on my instagram.  I may continue that with a little different slant, but I'm also adding a goodness jar.  My friend posted about this.  At the end of each week you write something good that happened that week on a piece of paper and place it in the jar.  I cut a bunch of squares from my scraps, labeled a jar, and I'm ready to go.  Bring on the good, 2017!

Mini Cheese Balls

I've been meaning to try this for awhile.  I've seen it around a time a two, but had never given it a go.  I really do like cheese balls, and I have a recipe for my very favorite.  I decided to try out the individual serving portions-which also solves my problem-I like each bite with a bit of pecan and when you get to the center that's not possible.  I really didn't need a lot more pecan than the original recipe, I just chopped it up a little finer.  I followed all the steps, but when it came down to creating the ball-I created 24 little balls instead and rolled them in the pecans.  I let them chill and then poked a pretzel stick in the top right before serving so you can lift each one up individually.  I still served these with wheat thins next to them (my favorite).

Hawaiian Cheese Ball 

Ingredients:  2 blocks of cream cheese (softened), 2 t. Lawry's seasoning salt, 1 small can of crushed pineapple (drained well), 1/2 green bell pepper (diced small), 2 c. of pecans (chopped fine).  Serve with wheat thins.
Instructions:  Mix all but the nuts.  Roll into ball shape.  Roll in nuts.  Chill for a few hours.

Bacon Cracker Appetizers

 These are, seriously, the easiest appetizers ever, and SOOOOO delicious.  I was a skeptic because I'm not a huge fan of meat, in particular bacon.  I know, I know....scary.  But....with the brown sugar sweetness, this is just the way I like my bacon...with carbs.  You can make these trays up in advance and pop them into the oven through a party, or while you are home alone and nobody can see.  The best part is they literally make a million.

All you need is...
bacon (get the thin/cheaper kind, I know....wow?), club crackers, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper.

Then you....
The original recipe used a wire rack (like a cookie cooling rack).  I have one of those.  I have no idea where it is currently living, so.....I used a mini muffin pan.
I lined up my crackers and cut my strips of bacon into sixths (just long enough to cover the cracker).
I thin mounded brown sugar on top of the bacon (this helps keep it from curling, and gives it a sweet taste).  Sprinkle a teeny tiny bit of cayenne on each one (unless you are brave, don't over do that).

 Bake at 350 for about 13 minutes.  Remove, cool.  Eat.  Repeat.

Good Luck Black Eyed Pea Cookies

 Last year I decided to play around with my family's New Year's tradition.  It's a must to eat black eyed peas on New Year's Day.  Plural-means two, just in case you love tolerate them like I do. I decided to make a tastier version-sugar cookies.  I used my favorite recipe that holds it shape better.  You can find that here.  I used a mini moon cookie cutter and I just pressed in the pointy edges.  You could also use a little oval shape (they sell them near the fondant) and just press on one side to make the curve.  I added some clear karo syrup (about 1 T per 2 cups) to the icing so that it would harden (it take about 5 hours) and then I'm able to back it without the icing smearing.

 In order to make these a little more fun, I save some of my pull tab cans.  I used one of those can openers that pulls the lid off without the sharp edge (any homegoods store should sell these).

 I created a printable you can download for free here that goes around the can/a tag for the top.

 I bagged and stuffed my can filled with cookies and then I glued the lid on top with a glue gun.

I'd eat more than two if all black eyed peas tasted this good.

Midnight Kisses

 I made these last year for New Year's Eve gifts.  I cheated though, I bought peanut butter cookie dough in a tube and rolled it in sugar.  I baked it as instructed, then pressed my kisses down.

Once my kisses cooled I filled baggies with the cookies.  I placed the baggies in these clear Chinese take out boxes (I found mine at Michael's) and added some silver tinsel, confetti, and a few extra silver kisses.  Here is a free tag printable I attached.

Pizza Poppers

I put this together awhile ago when I was having some friends over.  The nice thing is that they tasted great at room temperature (I hate having to 'time' dishes) and were super easy to put together....oh...and it's pizza-who doesn't like pizza?
So...if you fall into 1 or 3 of those categories-here's an easy appetizer for football season, New Year's Eve parties....or 'just because'....which is why I make most of my dishes.  The original recipe came from cookingforkeeps.

Pizza Poppers

PRINT HERE

Ingredients:  1 pkg canned crescent rolls, 1 c. mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, 1/2 c finely diced green peppers or any other toppings (purple onion etc), 1/2 c pizza sauce for dipping

Instructions:  Preheat oven 350.  Spray two mini muffin tins with cooking spray.  Separate the crescent roll into 4 triangles (press the seams of the two triangles to form the rectangles). Sprinkle each triangle with 1/4 c cheese each, a little bit of your green peppers/onions etc.  Press into dough.  Layer pepperoni on top of cheese and other toppings.  Cover all but the very edges.  Roll tightly.  Cut into 6 even pieces.  Places poppers (cut side down) into the muffin tins.  Bake for 10 minutes (the dough should be a pale brown).  Serve with warm sauce.  

New Year's Eve Confetti

 Here's a simple little idea for New Year's Eve-whether you are going out or staying in-a packed up little confetti toss for midnight.
They sell little boxes like the above at stores like Hobby Lobby, or you can wrap match boxes in fun scrapbook paper.  Fill each with confetti and take these along to toss at midnight, or pass these out to guest to celebrate at midnight.

Free to a Good Home: 2015 Calendar Printable!!!

My super talented friend, Kelly, made these super precious 2015 calendars for *you.*  Because she made them on behalf of all things I love, there is even a precious little list column on the side where you can add special events, a grocery list, or general to do items.  HERE is the link to the free printable.  12 months of utter cuteness!  Above is just a sampling of what one page looks like!  Free, free, free, just because!

Glittered Champagne

 Last year I made these for a few of my friends.  I did the same thing the year before (the mini champagne), but year two I decided to add some glitter to make it even more sparkly!
I just took some mini champagnes...

 Removed the label.

 Painted my bottled with mod podge and then sprinkled with fine glitter.

 When that dried, I painted another coat of mod podge over the bottle.  It will dry clear, but this prevents the glitter from flaking off all over the place.

 See...dried with mod podge coating.

 I added some gold candies, and googled free New Year's Even printables which I printed in mini.

Spicy Sausage Balls

Last year I made these for New Year's Eve....I was talking to one of my friends as she was doing the exact same thing.  But...until then-these make an easy football snack or breakfast food.  I love the additional of rotel to give in a mini kick.  You can make these and freeze them in advance as well, and then pop them out and bake them when needed.  Super simple and delicious.  The original recipe came from PlainChicken.

Spicy Sausage Balls

PRINT RECIPE HERE

Ingredients:  1 can of Rotel (drained), 1 LB sausage, 3 cups of bisquick, 8 oz of cream cheese
Instructions:  Drain Rotel and chop it up even finer.  Mix all the ingredients well.  Roll into 1 inch balls.  Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes.

Makes 4+ Dozen

Song Lyric Calendar

 Last year my friend Kelly made this calendar for me.  She found a song lyric for every month, and then attached a cute little icon.  Pretty stinking cute, right?  
She attached the magnet to the pack of a clip for me to hang on my fridge.  

 She gave me several copies, and I pinned one on my photo shutter as well, next to wear I usually hang out on my computer figuring out my schedule for the rest of my life.  I loved it, and had to share....in case you need to stay organized, make a New Year's Eve favor, or just want to look in awe at the cuteness and creativeness that is Kelly.